KATHMANDU: Dr. Ashutosh Bharadwaj, husband of popular Nepali actress Bipana Thapa, has publicly apologized following a series of controversial posts made from his Facebook account.

Just a few days ago, a status update containing abusive language against Bipana Thapa appeared on his profile. In the now-deleted post, he claimed that their relationship had ended, writing: “I have no connection with Nepal’s… (Offensive word) Bipana Thapa.” The post sparked widespread concern and was removed shortly after being published.

In response to the backlash, Dr. Bhardwaj later claimed that his Facebook account had been hacked. He wrote, “My ID is still hacked.”

However, in a follow-up post made yesterday, he issued an apology, stating: “I sincerely apologize to everyone for the post that appeared from my account.”

Following the incident, Bipana Thapa flew to New Delhi. Before leaving, she went live on Facebook to address the situation. In the livestream, she clarified that her husband was struggling with depression and was not a bad person.
“I’m heading to our home in Delhi right now,” she said. “You might be surprised by the strange posts made by my husband on Facebook, but please don’t take them at face value. He has been on medication for a long time and is dealing with depression. On top of that, his drinking habits have worsened the situation. I’m going home to resolve this issue. Please don’t misinterpret what was posted.”

Earlier, Dr. Bharadwaj had also posted a photo of Bipana with a caption in Hindi that read: “Bipana Thapa and I are divorced.” However, this post too was deleted within 15 minutes.
According to sources close to the couple, tensions in their relationship have existed for some time. Dr. Bharadwaj has listed his relationship status as “separated” on his Facebook profile, while Bipana appears to be making efforts to save the marriage.

Dr. Ashutosh Bharadwaj is an Indian citizen, a practicing medical doctor, and an active member of the Indian National Congress. He is also the producer of the Nepali film Baramala, during which his romantic relationship with Bipana began. The couple tied the knot in 2008 and have a son together.